Indo-German project launched to develop high-strength spring steel.

The cars we drive have suspension springs made of special steel.

Over the years, researchers have been focussing on making them lighter and more efficient.

Now, an Indo-German project has been launched to develop advanced, high-strength spring steel material that will help further reduce the overall body weight of the automobile and increase the efficiency of suspensions.

The light-weight suspension springs to be made in the next three years will find extensive use in the automotive sector.

The School of Engineering Sciences and Technology (SEST), University of Hyderabad (UoH), has been awarded the bilateral collaborative research project under the 2+2 scheme by the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre (IGSTC).

Industry, research partners

Steel major JSW Steels and German company Muhr & Bender KG (MUBEA) will be the industry partners, while UoH and the University of Siegel’s (USI) will be the academic research partners.

JSW will make the appropriate steel grades required for light-weight automotive springs in continuous collaboration with UoH and USI.

Once the optimal micro-structure and targeted mechanical properties are met, MUBEA will take up the manufacturing of springs for commercial applications.

SEST has been involved in high-end fundamental research work that would result in an end product. The project will receive a grant of Rs. 1.52 crore for the next three years, said Koteswara Rao V Rajulapati, Associate Professor in SEST, who would be co-ordinating the project as Principal Investigator from the UoH.

While JSW supplies steel springs in India, MUBEA is a major global supplier.

The latter’s clientele includes automotive giants in Germany.

The advanced, high-strength spring steel, once developed under the project, will be made for commercial application in the near future.

HBL